‘Close your legs, open your books’
The provincial Department of Health is fighting the many illegal abortion clinics which are being run by foreign nationals in the Vhembe area
LIMPOPO – As one walks around the Vhembe area, especially in the Thohoyandou area, the area is flooded with posters advertising cheap abortions.
“These people want to ruin our youth’s future, so I urge all, especially the youth, to refrain from using the services of these clinics. I urge the leaders in our province to unite in fighting against all this cruelty that will destroy the future of our children,” MEC for Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, told Capricorn Voice in a recent telephone interview.
Illegal abortion clinics in Vhembe are being blamed by local residents as the major cause behind teenagers engaging themselves in the act of having unprotected sexual intercourse, which put them at risk of contracting various sexually transmitted infections which include HIV/aids.
“For us to be able to win this fight, our children must also play their role which is to focus on their books instead of engaging themselves in the acts of having sexual intercourse, which will put them at risk of falling pregnant and ending up becoming victims of those illegal abortion clinics,” said Ramathuba.
The department is currently running a campaign to remove all posters and advertisements of illegal abortions, penis and breast enlargements.
A professional nurse, Irene Sithole, outlined some of the factors which contribute to young women opting for illegal abortions.
“Some young women opt for illegal abortions as they fear being spotted at a government clinic or hospital by someone they know. Some of them are afraid of the judgemental things nurses at the government clinics or hospitals say or ask,” she explained.
